Naturecraft and Trang and Khiet
Naturecraft is a rattan and ceramic manufacturer and design team, Trang Ngo Thi Thu and Giang Khiet have joined forces to collaborate using these two versatile materials
Naturecraft and Trang and Khiet
In this collaboration, two designer academics come together to work with two co-located factories in Bien Hoa just north of Saigon. Naturecraft is owned by Tran Thi Tham and her family. They run a ceramic manufacturing business and a rattan homewares weaving business. They sell their homewares products all over the world. Trang and Khiet are currently experimenting with combining both materials into one object.
Dr Ngo Thi Thu Trang
Trang is the Dean of Art Design Faculty, Architecture University Ho Chi Minh City. After graduating with a BA Degree in Product Design at this university in 2001, Trang won a scholarship from the Vietnamese Training and Education Ministry and went to UK for her MA Degree in Product Design at Birmingham Institute of Art & Design. In 2007, she won another scholarship from Japanese Culture and Education Ministry and went to Japan for her PhD at Chiba University, this research was focused on understanding national identity from traditional crafts. After caming back to Vietnam in 2013, Trang has been working as a design manager for several companies including NOA Design Association (Italy). Currently a product design lecturer at Architecture University Ho Chi Minh City, Trangs academic research and practice focuses on national design identity, semantics in contemporary product design, and design pedagogy.
At Naturecraft, water hyacinth which is grown by women in the Mekong Delta is woven and often dyed into homeware designs.
Giang Van Khiet
Giang Van Khiet was born in 1977. He lives and works in Ho Chi Minh City. Graduated from Architecture University of Industrial Design 2003. In 2013, Khiet attended the Mahasarakham Thailand School of Vision. 2015 Khiet graduated with the research paper topic "desire for freedom". Also with this theme the icon, image, style was formed and was developed to present 60 works. In 2010, Khiet joined the photography club in District 2 of Ho Chi Minh City, and in 2015, he joined the Mekong art club. In 2017, Khiet joined Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Association, and has participated in many exhibitions organized by Mekong Club and Fine Arts Association.
